Memorial Details

Fountain South Africa 1899-1902 Village Green

B18.05

BELLINGHAM

NY 839833

At cross-roads in middle of village.

Manchester Square, facing south.
Moved to present position in 1950s
as it had become a hazard to traffic. It was restored 1999.

South Africa 1899-1902

Statue, total height is 14-15 feet, and 4 feet 2 inches square at base. It stands on a stepped base 11 feet x 12 feet. It depicts a fusilier in full South African kit complete with Lee Enfield rifle, standing on a stone plinth, beneath a stone canopy supported by four polished granite pillars.
On the front face a panel of polished granite 2 feet 1 inch high x 1 foot 9 inches wide has been inserted, bearing the dedication and names in three columns, divided between "Yeomanry" and "Volunteers" both of which words are in italics.
The lettering of the dedication and names is in Roman capitals, and all lettering is of lead placed onto the surface. On the side, a smaller similar panel 18 inches high x 11 inches wide has been inserted, bearing more names under the same headings.
Beside the fountain is a stainless steel slender drinking fountain. The original statue was a drinking fountain, now obviously disused.

Stone and granite.

Erected / in honour of the following local members of / Yeomanry and volunteers who fought in the / Boer War 1900-1-2.

Originally a fountain, and there was a light on top, now gone. Otherwise still in good condition.

Made by John Milburn, Hexham

1. All those named on the monument are thought to have returned safely home.

2. In 1946 the Northumberland County Council reported that the memorial is situated in the middle of the road opposite Woodburn Road End. It was agreed to move it to a site outside the Town Hall.

3. In 1959 Northumberland County Council reported that the war memorial is sited in a carriageway of the main road opposite the junction of the road to West Woodburn. There are two "Keep Left" signs on the memorial, but it cannot be used as a roundabout and traffic conditions are potentially dangerous. A scheme from the Police to remove it to another site met with local opposition.

4. The decision was made to move the memorial "to the gun site outside the town hall".

5. In 1999, restoration was made with help from Friends of War Memorials to commemorate both the centenary of the start of the South African War in 1899 and also to commemorate the new Millennium. A new lamp was placed on the top and a new drinking fountain placed alongside. Local schoolchildren were involved with the project.

6. Friends of War Memorials (now War Memorials Trust) gave a grant of £250 towards the cost of restoration.

Photo showing statue in its original position: Bellingham & N. Tyne LHS; photos inc. modern drinking fountain: J. Brown: old postcard: Tony Harding; Photo of memorial in original location in possession of Mrs. Alison Williams, and photo showing unveiling ceremony is in possession of the late Mrs. Angela Allen; old photograph showing memorial located outside the Rose and Crown, provided by Mrs. Pauline Sanderson of Hexham.

Newcastle Central Library Boer War Memorial Illus. (NND, Vol. I, page 115, 1954; photo 1912; photo 1966.

Curiosities of the British Street Troughs and Drinking Fountains (Philip Davies; Chatto and Windus, London, 1989)

Morpeth County Library Frith collection of photographs showing monument in original location; Postcard collection gives a long view in former position.

Northumberland County Council Minutes 30/09/1946 reported information in note 2 above. 15/06/1959 gives information in Note 3 above.

Hexham Courant feature 75 years ago reports information in Note 4 above.

Friends of War Memorials Newsletter No.6 Summer 2000

The Building News and Engineering Journal, v80, 28 June 1901, p.864  reports: ‘A stone fountain erected at Bellingham in honour of the yeomanry and volunteers of North Tyne who fought in the Boer War, 1900-1, was unveiled last (Thursday) evening. A conspicuous feature in the structure is a representation of a man in khaki, standing at ease in light fighting order under a canopy supported on four granite pillars. The sculptor is Mr.John Milburn, of Hexham'.

Public Sculpture of North-East England. Liverpool University Press, p.13. Usherwood P, Beach J, Morris C (2000)

Bellingham & North Tyne Local History Society; N. Short, Hexham; P. Thirkell; Mrs. Pauline Sanderson; the late R.W. Gould; C.N. Dallison; J. Brown; Tony Harding; Dr. Tony Power

If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk

 

BELLINGHAM, Manchester Square.

   Erected 

   in honour of the following local members of 

   Yeomanry and volunteers who fought in the 

   Boer War 1900-1-2. 

   Yeomanry

   J.G. Dixon     J. Fenwick     A. Moffatt

   T.S. Dodd      R. Sisterson   G. Philipson

   G.F. Roe       W. Carrigan    M. Kirk

                  J. Smith

   Volunteers

   C.J. Gilroy    R. Bolton      E. Brown

   C. Pigg        J. Grey        W.G. Cowan

   W. Cowan       J. Hedley      N. Forsyth

   A. Cowan       J.R. Thompson  J. Brown

   M. Bell        R. Robson      J. Thompson

   A. Telford     D. Matthews    J. Baty

   ------------------------------------------

On west face :

   Yeomanry

   W. Short       A.G. Baty      J. Hill

   Volunteers

   G. Forster     R. Armstrong

NameB18.05

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